Who I am...

Who is Ruby Doobs?  It has been said that people with Down syndrome are more alike than different.  This is a great statement for individuals who may not know much about having an extra 21st chromosome...because yes...my daughter eats, sleeps, grows, learns, cries, laughs, has opinions...very strong opinions...just like you or I. She walks and talks and is about the sweetest, most loving little human I have ever met.  But for those of us who really know someone with Down syndrome...I mean the lucky ones who really have had the opportunity to be around these individuals....I think we can all agree that there is something different about them. Something amazingly different...something that we would never want to change.  They are who they are...no apologies, no second guessing. The energy...the infectious smile...it's like a bear hug that you continue to feel the rest of the day...they are all such raw, true and real emotions. So I like the fact that Ruby is "different"....I love it actually...we embrace it.  She makes it hard not to....so if I had to come up with a few things that I think is a big part of Ruby...I think Ruby might say:

I am a painter....

I am a lover...

I am a social butterfly...

I am a daddy's girl...

I am a sister...

and she would definitely say that she  is Rockin it!!!!

and Ruby....Mommy would say that you are a teacher.  One that teaches me about how cool and precious life is everyday!

And most important Ruby...you are you.  The perfect lil' version of our sweet Ruby Doobs and I would not change a single chromosome or hair on your head.  I thank my lucky stars when I wake up and when I go to sleep at night that you have come into my world and opened my eyes to a brighter way of life!

Check out this video from the International Down Syndrome Coalition for World Down Syndrome Day!  They believe that all life is precious...just like we do :)

We are helping them spread the word by sharing their video "Who I Am"...

Happy World Down Syndrome Day Peeps!  Spread the love!

Cardboard, Feathers and Kites...

Oh to be four again....I have to say I have been struggling with some emotions lately.  Emotions related to everyday life, feelings of hurt from my past, stress from trying to be the best parent I can be, fences being blown down by 45 mile and hour winds that need fixin'....just life  in general.  These feelings are pretty new to me..not that my life has been all rainbows and unicorns...but most things seem to roll off my back...like a duck in water, cruisin' through the big pond of life.  I haven't been feeling so 'laid back' lately...which basically makes me feel like an alien (sorry to all the aliens out there..).  So when I got home yesterday and Ella Mae had brought home a piece of cardboard from Montessori school it put things into perspective.  Her excitement and enthusiasm for this simple piece of cardboard (about the size of my hand) that her teacher let her bring home was just what I needed to snap me out of it.   And then...she passed by a tiny little feather moving an inch at a time with the wind...I mean tiny lil feather.  As if her enthusiasm for the plain ol' piece of cardboard wasn't enough to  make me remember  how simple life can be....she screeched when she saw this feather "a feather mommy!!!  Look...a feather!!!"  It was like Lenny Kravitz had walked by with his shirt off (ok...mabye she wouldn't have been that excited but mama would have).   Anywho, just witnessing that state of mind and being in that undeniable carefree energy rubbed off on me and I am starting to feel somewhat back in my laid back lil' duck pond again.  Thank you my lil' lady for reminding me that it's the little things that keep us smilin'..

On that note...we tried to go the the Kite Festival this past weekend and failed.  We waited in the line of cars for an HOUR to park...and 20 cars from the finish line we were shut down!  We were told to ride the shuttle from some other destination...no thanks!  We decided to create our own kite festival...Plachta style!  Way more fun if you ask this mama...and way less stress.  We took our $2 kites to a local park....

And viola!!  Kite Festival 2013...we even had a picnic and a few other peeps came up and joined. 

Ella Mae's "'spidey kite"...

Even Ruby Doobs got in on the action. Here she is right before take off...

And here she is flying that thing all by her tiny  lil' self!!!!!!

Seriously folks...she is flying it by herself!

And by the way...remember that hole she had in between the top two chambers of her heart??  Well I do.  Dr. Wong had the pleasure of telling me after her last cardio appt. that the second hole in her heart had indeed closed on it's own, just as the first one did at 6 months.  Raise the roof peeps!!  He told us her ticker was perfectly perfect....just like her.  These are the things that matter peeps.  Cardboard, feathers and a day with your family flyin' $2 kites....oh...and dancin' ..you can't forget the dancin'...

Doobs checkin' her moves out at the dance studio...

She actually participated a bit in Ella Mae's class this week..pretty cute :)

Keep smilin' my friends!!

Love letters

Here are my Valentine's Day letters to my lil' ladies who have filled my life with more fulfillment and happiness than I could have ever imagined possible.  I hope someday they will read them and know the joy, amazement and complete unconditional love I feel for them...I am one lucky mama.

To My Dearest Ruby Doobs,

From the moment I held your tiny lil’ self in my arms… you looked up at me with those sweet almond eyes and my heart was forever changed.  You have given me the strength and courage to do things I never thought I would or could do.  You have taught me more about patience, that everyone has their own timeline…and the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward.  You teach me about determination and perseverance everyday.  I watch you grow and learn with such passion…and I find such joy watching your sweet spirit touch the lives of all around you.  As I watch your relationship grow with Ella Mae, I know the bond you have as sisters will be such an important one for you both…forever learning and teaching each other about the goodness of life.  Hearing the both of you laugh together is the sweetest sound in the world…a sound that makes my heart smile.  Since you came into my life, I see the world through a much broader, brighter scope and have such higher expectations for this world of ours.   I am so lucky to call you my lil’ lady…my perfect lil’ lady.  You shine so bright and I look forward to every moment we have together!  Happy Valentine’s Day my love….

                                                                  Love,    

The luckiest mommy on the planet…your mommy  

Ruby Doobs signing "Thank you" 

And to my sweet and crazy Ella Mae who is a little bit princess and a little bit super hero...your imagination and creativity keep me on my toes and inspired  me to live life to it's fullest every day!

To the sweetest lil' lady in the whole wide world and the best daughter any mom could ask for...Ella Mae!

Dear Ella Mae:

Ever since you were born you have brightened up my world more than I could have ever imagined!  My heart is so full of love for you and I am amazed every day at your desire to help others and your protective instincts you already have for your lil' sis Ruby Doobs.  You are sweet, kind and so funny...but also strong willed and dedicated to being exactly who you are!  You make me, Daddy and Ruby smile and laugh all the time. I am so unbelievably proud of you and am excited to see the paths you choose and the woman you will become. Always know that and never forget how much I love you....I love you more than there is water in the ocean or clouds in the sky!   and boogers...never forget that I love you more than boogers.

Love, the luckiest mommy in the world: AKA Mommy

Ella Mae and her "real web shooters" she asked for from Santa...

Ruby's First Annual SECOND Birthday/Holiday Party...

So I am very behind in my pics of Doobs "First Annual, Second Birthday/Holiday/Ugly Christmas Sweater Party" pics...so this is gonna be quick:

My pre-set-up helpers...

I think Ella Mae ate most of the candy canes before anyone even showed up...

Doobs is helping put out crafts...

Monkey is hangin' out demanding snacks (no help)....

Doobs is still working on getting out the crafts...

She's a hard worker....

Grandmothers cake creation...Christmas Dora:

"Candy Cane" hangin out at the food table sneakin' snacks..

Mommy and Ruby debuting our Ugly Christmas Sweaters...

Aunt Sara debuting hers....pretty ugly if you ask me...

The winners of the "Ugly Christmas Sweater" contest....

More ugliness...

The "Reindeer Food Bar" was a big hit...the dogs snacked on it a bit throughout the party as well...

I think the chickens had a good time....

The craziness started when Santa came rollin' in ...the kids were screaming and running to the door.  Pretty awesome!  

Oh my goodness!  Thank you Dakus and Target for our Party Santa!

All the Santa Pics have a "wind blown" look to them because it is Texas and was 80 something degrees in December...and I am not sure how many of you have worn a felt outfit/fake beard combo in those conditions...but it was HOT!  So we had a fan blowing on our Santa to keep the sweat drippage to a minimum..

First in line....culde crew of course!

 Ella Mae asked every single Santa she saw this year for real  web shooters...not the fake kind...REAL web shooters.  She explained that she wanted to swing from tall building to tall building.  She was a little disappointed when Santa brought it on Christmas morning and silly string squirted out for about two minutes. literally.two minutes...and mommy and daddy were too cheap to go buy the SEVEN dollar refill of super special spidey silly string that would last only another two minutes. Anywho...it was fun while it lasted...and now she has a cool spidey glove she can where with her super hero costume.

Ella Mae asking for her REAL web shooters...

All the Santa shots were too cute not to post!!

The big winners of the night..complete wtih trophy!

That's all folks!  Hope everyone had a great holiday and an absolutely rockin' new year!  WOO HOO!!!!!!!

Logic...

Ella Mae: I want this Belle Barbie..

Hubby: Well, Ella...how can you get that on your own?

Ella Mae: I can't...you have to take me to the store...

Hubby: No Ella, I mean how are you going to get the money to buy the barbie?

Ella Mae:  From my piggy bank...

Hubby: How do you think the money gets into the piggy bank?

Ella Mae:  Through the slot on the top...

Well dah...sounds logical to me!

Obviously we have some work to do on the concept of earning money...but we will get there!

Another conversation that I had with Ella Mae recently...

Me:  Ella Mae, Mommy loves you more than there is water in the ocean...(we go back and forth with this alot)

Ella Mae:  I love you more than the ocean and the fish and the sharks....oh, and boogers. More than boogers.

Hey...I'll take it! Apparently "boogers" are pretty important to a four year old....

Happy Humpday peeps!!

My Little Elves...

Well...Ella Mae got one of the creepy Elf on the Shelf dolls.  She named her Candy Cane and was excited for the first few days...I would say things like "She's watching you and will fly back and tell Santa tonight if you were good or bad today...so you better be good."  I would try and move it  around an get creative...although not near as creative as the Facebook posting mom's. Those mom's make you feel like you are just sitting on the couch all day with potato chip crumbs on your shirt and a beer in your hand. Who has time for all that??   Most mornings Candy Cane would just move from the table to the kitchen or bathroom, possibly sleeping under some tissue using T.P. as a blanket...ha!  Here she is doing one of her more creative moves...snow angels in some sugar. 

 Pretty lame I know... I think all Ella Mae was more interested in licking the sugar off the plate...so our Elf on the Shelf experience tapered pretty quickly and she ended up hanging in one spot the rest of the holiday season.  Then my real elves showed up from Michigan...working diligently to prepare for Ruby's second birthday party with a holiday/ugly Christmas sweater flare.

 Head Elf G-ma making cookies 

We like to celebrate around these parts...cuz we feel like we have lots to celebrate...so we wanted to make Doobs party a special event that would hopefully become a family tradition for years to come.  I stole this Reindeer Food Bar from another mommy blogger...

Cuz Reindeer need food too!

Uncle Matt did the artwork

The kids get to make a bucket full of it and sprinkle it in the driveway for Santa's Reindeer to munch on while they wait for him to fill your house with the magic of Christmas...

Kids got to write their letters to Santa...little did they know he was to make an appearance..

We had a craft area...

This area is soon to be filled with thirty crazy kiddos!

We were super lucky this year and got Uncle Matt, Aunt Sara and the G-parents all in one visit.  I could not have pulled off this party (more on that next post) without them all.

An Elf meeting over a little breakfast...

Ella Mae loves to get her hands dirty in the kitchen and she is a complete freak for cake-pops (lets face it...they are delish...lil balls of joy..)  so I got her and Aunt Sara a Hello Kitty Cake pop kit.  

It turned out to be a little more labor intensive than expected and Aunt Sara might have been cursing Hello Kitty's name by the end of it (or mine :))....

but in the end they got a few good ones out of it and they all tasted delish...

Stay tuned for Ruby's birthday party pics!

Keep rockin' this wonderful life peeps!